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Friday, February 25, 2011

Modern Basics Blog Tour

I'm so happy to be a part of Amy's Modern Basics blog tour today.
Congratulations, Amy, on a beautiful book!

The patterns in this book are straightforward and easy to follow. Perfect for a beginner but fun and flexible for a more advanced quilter. I love the quilt on the cover!

Here are a few more of my favorites:

I also completely LOVED this image in the front of the book. There is something so pleasing about a pretty stack of quilts!

Amy gave us opportunity to ask her some questions, but one and only thing I wanted to ask is:

How on earth did you write a book with kids at home? (It's a good question, don't you think?) ;)

This is the million dollar question! I always tend to work in an assembly line which I think helps. But mostly I stopped and started a LOT! My most productive hours were (and still are), 8-midnight after the kids went to bed. During the day I would prep and cut fabric, and pin pieces so that I could systematically sew, and sew, and sew in the evenings.

My husband and kids were all very supportive and excited for the book, and helped out with extra chores around the house and dinner preparations. While challenging, I think sewing at the kitchen table helped too - I am always right in the middle of the house and all that is happening with the kids, and can quickly get involved as I'm needed.

That said, by the time my deadline rolled around I was very sick with a sinus infection and needed a month to purge all the clutter that had accumulated around the house while I was focused on my quilts and writing the patterns. I've learned that I have to let somethings go around the house in order for other things to get done, just not my kids! I'm okay with that as long as I can get back to it in a timely manner - otherwise the clutter drives me crazy!
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Here's the complete schedule of the blog tour:

I am definitely a quilting beginner. YOur blog has inspired me and I've used your tutorials more than once to help me along. I want to make 4 summer quilts for my kids beds...so some easy pattern ideas would be welcome!

I too, love this book! anything that is "easy" but looks this good is well worth it! And her approach to working when you can and getting to the clutter when you can is great! Life is too short not to sew and keep your house clean instead!! ;p

People ask me the same thing. I make hundreds of quilts a year and have 4 kids. I think the busier you are the more you do. I don't know how I get it all done either, but I get antsy just sitting around and I don't stay up past 9pm on any day! I haven't written a book yet, but it is on my to do list :) I love this book and will definately be picking up one for me and one for my mom if I don't win.

It amazes me still how Amy got this done with four kids, the younger two, were still under foot alot needind mom, it great that she was able to balance everything so well. thanks to the family for there patiences. i cna't wait to get a book

It's a lovely book! I hope to win one for my daughter who's a new quilter as it seems good for beginners plus modern and fresh. I introduced her to your blog right before you gave it up, and we're both enjoying it again so much now that you are back!

I've been looking for some new ideas to whittle my stash which has reached it's storage capacity. Several of the quilts in this book like they'd be perfect to help with my problem! I marvel that anyone with children can write a book too--impressive!

As a newbie to the quilting world, I would love this book. Her quilts look gorgeous. I just finished my first block (yes...I said block!) and can't wait to do another. It's a block of the month thing. Love your blog!

I would love to win a copy! I would buy a copy but right now my husband is out of work and finacially it isn't possible to spend money on a book. But I love the sneak peak and I can see myself making the quilts shown.

I really like the quilt on the front of the book! What a great q&a - I often wonder how I can fit sewing and kids into my day without neglecting the kids :). I'd really like to get my hands on this book!

i know what she means about an assembly line to get quilts done while being home with children. it's crazy! but if you work at it for 5-10 min at a time, it'll get done! i can't wait to read this book!